Sweet Nostalgia of the 80s

”I never expected you to learn how to cook. I’ll handle these things in the future. Marrying you means I plan to take care of you for a lifetime.” Ji Chuan gently ruffled her hair as he spoke softly.

Yan Huan felt this was the most beautiful love talk she’d ever heard, and the promise of taking care of her for a lifetime turned her heart into a pool of spring water.

”But I still want to learn.” She lowered her head and said a bit shyly, ”I realized today that cooking for the man I love is also a kind of happiness!”

”Better not...”

”Why?”

”I’m afraid if your skills accidentally set the house on fire, what then?” Ji Chuan said, suppressing his laughter.

Yan Huan’s expression twitched a few times, her shy look vanished, replaced by an awkward yet somewhat gritted-teeth resentment: ”Ji Chuan!”

”Hmm?”

”Mocking me! You deserve a beating!” As she spoke, Yan Huan bent her leg and aimed at Ji Chuan’s abdomen.

”No, no, no! If it gets damaged...what about your future happiness?” Ji Chuan teased Yan Huan, his lips curling into a smile.

In the end, Yan Huan just made a show of it: ”Hmph! Since you’re still considered injured, I’ll let you off this time.”

Ji Chuan laughed, a bright smile like sunshine: ”Thanks for sparing me from a beating, wife!”

”Always cheeky!” Yan Huan rolled her eyes at him and pushed him out, ”You go out, I’ll tidy up the kitchen. It’s getting late, if I can’t fry the dishes well, I’ll just cut some pickles.”

Seeing her determined look, Ji Chuan smirked and said, ”Really want to learn?”

”Of course!” Yan Huan replied.

”I’ll teach you!”

”You... can your leg manage?” Yan Huan looked at his plastered leg and said, ”It’s inconvenient, isn’t it? You should go rest.”

”No need. Come, let your husband show you a few tricks.” Ji Chuan said, crutching over to the sink, washed his hands, took a potato from the basket, washed it and put it on the board, swiftly slicing it.

Though his armpits still held crutches and one foot was raised, it didn’t affect his performance at all. His smooth, large hand wielded the knife swiftly, and uniformly thin and consistent potato strips flew out.

Each strip crystalline and pretty, practically like a piece of art.

”Amazing,” Yan Huan sincerely admired.

”This is just normal performance.”

”If I could also slice such beautiful potato strips, that would be great.”

”Want to learn?”

”Yes.”

”Alright. I’ll teach you.” Ji Chuan beckoned Yan Huan to come in front of him, ”You take over.”

Yan Huan stood in front of the board, took the knife, and deeply inhaled, pressing the potato ready to cut. Ji Chuan’s large hand gently held her hand, his warm, soft voice whispering beside her ear: ”To get uniform potato strips, first the slices must be even, mastering the thickness, then cut into strips. Control the strength too. No shortcuts, just lots of practice.”

Yan Huan listened earnestly, following Ji Chuan’s instructions, accurately gauging and slicing slowly.

With Ji Chuan’s help, the potato slices were more even than before, and the strips looked much prettier. Seeing she could also cut such lovely potato strips, Yan Huan was as happy as a child finding a gemstone: ”Ji Chuan, I can do it too! I can do it too!”